Wednesday, June 27, 2012

This succulent grilled skirt steak recipe would be perfect
for your 4th of July cookout, and what better way to celebrate
America’s birthday than with an ingredient from Japan.

Our nation has lots to be
proud of; and one thing I take special pride in is our willingness to integrate
any and all culinary influences into our cuisine. We don’t much care where it
comes from, as long as it’s delicious, we will assimilate.

There was a time, not that long ago, when only a lucky few
“gourmands” living near big cities had access to imported ingredients like
miso, balsamic vinegar, truffle oil, etc. Nowadays, these items are found in
virtually every large grocery store, from sea to shining sea. When I hear the
words, “immigrants built this country,” I don’t think of railroads, bridges,
and roads; I think pizza, sushi, and foie gras torchon.

I’ll admit to knowing very little about miso, or why it’s so
effective in this simple glaze, but that’s okay. There is nothing wrong with a little mystery in your cooking (think burlesque vs. full-frontal). How
and why it makes the beef so juicy and flavorful is not nearly as important as
the fact it does.

I’ve done countless variations of this glaze, and oddly
enough I prefer a red wine vinegar in this, over more obvious choices like rice
vinegar. Maybe it’s just because I associate red wine with red meat, but I
really think there’s something else going on. What? No idea (see paragraph 4).

You’ll notice the ingredient list is relatively short, and
it should probably stay that way, but of course I expect you to tweak this to
your personal tastes. Not doing so would be downright un-American. I hope you
give this great grilled miso glazed skirt steak a try soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients for 2 large or 4 smaller portions:

1 whole skirt steak (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 tbsp yellow miso

3 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 packed tbsp brown sugar

1/8 tsp cayenne

2 cloves finely crushed garlic

freshly ground black pepper to taste*Glaze should be spread over both sides of meat, and left out for 30 minutes.**I think skirt steak has the best texture if cooked between medium-rare and medium. I'd remove at an internal temp of 130-135 F. View the complete recipe

Can you cook this in the oven or on the stove-top? You do a lot of grilling recipes because of summer, but I don't have a grill. I know it won't have that smokey flavor but I love miso and steak, so I want to try this even if it ends up a bit lame by comparison.

I am Japanese.It's always enjoyable to watch your videos.In all of my research,Miso has masking effect and contains Kojic acid (a natural by-product from the fermentation stage) which helps lighten skin by blocking an enzyme crucial in the production of skin melanin.Keep up your great job!

I keep both red and white miso in the fridge. White is great on fish and I use both to make miso soup. I never thought of using it on beef. What a great idea. Think I'll try the red on the meat. I've always been pleased with the results using miso. A miracle food.

I went to a large supermarket (Wegmans) and a butcher shop. Only the butcher shop has skirt steak and it was frozen. I opted instead for a fresh flank steak. I'm wondering if I should use this glaze more as a marinade given the switch in steaks, or if you have any other recommendations, Chef. I'm using your Father's Day flank steak recipe as a guide also.

Chef, I borrowed from this recipe and your Tuscan flank steak recipe and made a miso marinated flank steak grilled over charcoal on the Weber. I pierced the flank steak well and let it marinate for 6 hours. I grilled it on both sides for 6 minutes. It was a 1.8 lb. steak. The result was tremendous. It looked just like your skirt steak, glossy and pink and I am now a miso fan. By the way, I served it with one giant potato pancake using your recipe as well. Thanks, Chef!

I live in Israel and Skirt steak (as well as Flank) is hard to find here, since the cuts are different. I was able to find some Hanger (Butcher's Cut) steak and was wondering which recipe fits better - this one, or the Tuscan flank one.

I made this tonight for my family. I used a flank steak and used red miso (because that's what my grocery had) and let it marinate in the fridge for about two hours. Flank steak is a staple in my house, but this came out so tender and flavorful it's hard to describe. I'd say this is similar tasting to my go-to soy/marsala/garlic marinade, but not quite as sweet and had just a hint of beaniness from the miso.

Thanks Chef John -- this is definitely going into rotation in my house!

I made this again tonight for my kids and me... Two of three kids (ages 7,7, and 5) proclaimed that it was "the best dinner ever" and the third conceded that it was better than McDonalds. My kids are picky eaters and aren't known for eating a whole lot, but everyone asked for seconds.

As for me -- I thought this was even better the second time making it. Really is a winning recipe, and can be prepared so quickly.

Since my wife didn't dine with us tonight, I have just enough left over to through into an omelette tomorrow morning. Oh yeah!

Thanks again Chef John!

Tomorrow: Food Wishes (Christmas) lasagna and cheese straws... I've had such a craving to try your lasagna recipe that I had to invite my brother and sister (and their families) over just to try it! I can hardly wait!

By the way -- I'm making it again tonight so I thought I'd share: I've used this recipe twice now with a pork tenderloin and think it's absolutely great that way, too. I've taken to butterflying the tenderloin to make it flatter for the grill. Goes nicely with homemade fried rice.